Let's Set The Record Straight About The Catholic "Confession" App

Hoo boy. The media and twitterers have been having
a field day about an iPhone app
called "Confession", "endorsed" by the Catholic Church.

The Church will now give you confession on your iPhone! So funny,
so ridiculous!

Here's the real deal: the app helps Catholics
prepare for Confession.

In Catholicism, Confession is an important sacrament that
requires preparation. That doesn't just mean listing past sins,
but introspection, soul-searching and prayer. The Church calls
this "examination of conscience."

In that context, the app makes perfect sense. If you're a
Catholic, it gives you a hopefully good environment on-the-go
(and soul-searching can hit at all hours) to reflect within the
context of Confession. It also includes a handy reminder of the
prayers and rituals of Confession, which most Catholics (your
writer included!) need. Most Catholics, this writer included,
don't go to Confession nearly often enough because if you do it
right, it's hard. It involves taking a cold hard look at all your
failings.

It's not an insta, digital-confession app. It's a preparation
app. It's neither necessary nor sufficient for Confession, but
we're sure it can help many people. It's a good idea. So please
stop snickering.